Looking for a "Wolf Shaman"-style class

[Eldariel]

Has anyone designed a Druid variant that focuses on transforming to and summoning a single animal type only? I've got a player who wants to play a Wolf Druid; i.e. Druid who turns into progressively bigger wolves and only summons wolves and only talks to wolves and has a pet wolf and so on. Which seems reasonable enough, a classic fantasy archetype. Problem is, any of the Druid subclasses has much of its power in the variety of creatures it can turn into and summon and such. Has anyone made a decent "single animal Shaman"-class for 5e?

[brian 333]

I have done it in 3rd ed for a lycanthrope NPC, but it was an adversary so balance was not an issue.

If you are curious I can dig it up.

[Yakk]

I designed a magic item that granted improved wolf forms to a moon druid once.

You'd get a set of boosts when you transformed into a wolf or dire wolf that made them better, baseline.

Then, as your CR limit increased, you gained even more boosts, keeping up with the higher CR competition and a bit more.

You kept your ability to transform into other forms as well, I just made the wolf forms more efficient.

[Garfunion]

One of my players was very into her 4th edition Druid. The ability to go in and out of “beast form” at will was fun for her however, 5e is a bit tricky.

First I gave her the ability to cosmetically transform into a beast no stat changes no size changes she simply look like an beast.
Second I chose the barbarian(totem) class using rage as a dire beast form.
Then she would choose totems that were appropriate for her ideal beast form.

For your case when it comes to summoning wolves. Replace the level 10 ability with summon beast.

[Eldariel]

I have done it in 3rd ed for a lycanthrope NPC, but it was an adversary so balance was not an issue.

If you are curious I can dig it up.

I'd be interested!


I designed a magic item that granted improved wolf forms to a moon druid once.

You'd get a set of boosts when you transformed into a wolf or dire wolf that made them better, baseline.

Then, as your CR limit increased, you gained even more boosts, keeping up with the higher CR competition and a bit more.

You kept your ability to transform into other forms as well, I just made the wolf forms more efficient.

Do you have the numbers available? That could be useful to me with the numeric changes you made to the wolf shapes. I was thinking of something along the same lines anyways.


One of my players was very into her 4th edition Druid. The ability to go in and out of “beast form” at will was fun for her however, 5e is a bit tricky.

First I gave her the ability to cosmetically transform into a beast no stat changes no size changes she simply look like an beast.
Second I chose the barbarian(totem) class using rage as a dire beast form.
Then she would choose totems that were appropriate for her ideal beast form.

For your case when it comes to summoning wolves. Replace the level 10 ability with summon beast.

Mmhm, she already started off as a Druid so I have to go down a slightly different path but thanks for this nevertheless. In any case, I plan on having a scaling beast form to work with and then Conjure Animals kinda takes care of itself; maybe give the magic fangs ability of a Shepherd eventually but just the fact that higher level slots can summon a greater number of wolves goes a long way to ensure the scaling.

[Garfunion]

The monk is also a good option.
Still provide her with the ability to cosmetically change into a beast.
Use the four elements archetype as a base, for more druid related spells.

[Twelvetrees]

Taking a look through the Compendium in my sig, this is what I found.


Baphomet's Skinwalker (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?571758-Skins-and-Shifting-A-Wild-Shape-Revamp-and-a-Skinwalker-Class-to-Use-it-(PEACH)) looks like it can do exactly what you want, save for it not being a druid.

Morto_Ra's Skinchanger (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?565352-Skinchanger-New-Class) can do a limited version of what you're asking for - one of it's subclasses grants an animal companion and the main class grants shapeshifting.

Any of the classes from the section below focus on turning into one specific form. Most of them lack any ability to summon creatures. It is worth noting, however, that theVoidWatches' version does gain the ability to command beasts at 18th level.


Lycan/Lycanthrope

Lycan Homebrew Class by Fast Jimmy (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?474204-Lycan-Homebrew-Class)

Lycanthrope by Crafty Cultist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?510517-The-Lycanthrope-An-Experimental-method-for-handling-monster-PCs)

Lycanthrope by The Ship’s dog (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?536715-I-have-made-a-full-20-level-Lycanthrope-class-and-would-appreciate-feedback)

The Lycanthrope by theVoidWatches (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=23714580&postcount=3)



If you want druid-specific variants, here are a few subclasses that might fit what you're looking for.

These two give animal companions:
Circle of the Beast by Yakk (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?609349-Circle-of-the-Beast)
Druid Archetype: Natures Ally; Putting the companion back in animal companion by AmbientRaven (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?479568-Druid-Archetype-Natures-Ally-Putting-the-companion-back-in-animal-companion-(PEACH))

And this one focuses on summoning:
Druid Archetype: Circle of the Wild Hunt by ASchmidt (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?398278-Druid-Archetype-Circle-of-the-Wild-Hunt-(PEACH))